Coin-controlled locking mechanism.



GOIN C.

'No MODEL.y

PATBNTBD OGL-1a, 1904. lR. w. GoBB.

ONIROLLED LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIOI FILED JULY 11,1904.

UNITED STATES RUDOLPH vv. GOEE,A OE sT. LoUIs,

- Patented oe'eber 1e, 1904. l PATENT OFFICE.

MIssoUELfAssIeNoe To THE "cousv TROLLER COMPANY OF AMERICA, OFST..LOUIS, MISSOURI, A COR- PORATION OF MISSOURI.

COIN-CONTROLLED LooKlNG MEoHANlsM.

SPECIFICATION f'rming part of Lettera Patent No. 772,799, dated october1s, `1904.

Application led July 11l 1904.

T' all whom t ITI/Ly concern:

Beitknown that LRUDOLPHWGOEB, acitizen of the United States, residing atthe city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have'invented a certain newand usefulImprovementin Coin- Oontrolled Locking Mechanisms, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe Io same, reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in whichv Figure 1 is a front elevation, aportion of the casing being broken away and the front I5 wall of thecasing being removed. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional elevation on aboutthe line2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is a top sectional view on about the line3 3 of Fig. Fig. 4

is a fragmentary side elevation onabout the .2O line 4 4v'of Fig. 1,'and Fig. 5 is a 'top`plan view.

This invention relates to improvements inV coin-controlled lockingmechanisms, being particularly applicable as a telephone-lock. My objectis to provide an efticient structure for locking a telephone against useby an unauthorized person, thestructure being of such character thatYthe telephone can be vreleased through the instrumentality of adeposited coin or token, While the deposited coin or token can, whendesired, be returned to the depositor and the telephone can be releasedby central without the necessity of depositing a coin.

35 To these ends and also to improve generally '45 4 is suitablysupported in proximity to the telephone, as by being connected toa wallor other support in a manner which is well known and well understood,said casing containing serial up. 216,112.V KNO model.)

the hereinafter-mentioned locking mechanism and being provided with acoin-slot or raceway 6. v. 1

Pivoted within the casing is a lever-platel 8, which has au arm 9extending .through a vertical slot 7 in` the front wall of the casing,said arm being adapted to extend-above and across the receiversuspension-hook 2, as indicated in Figs. 2 andu, so that when' the llever-plate 8 is locked the said arm 9 serves l to lock the receiversuspension-hook against upward movement. The said arm9will there- 60fore be hereinafter referred to as the main lock-ing element. Extendingrearwardly from the lever-,plate 8 and formed upon said plate is afinger 100, whose upper surface forms a support for thehereinafter-mentioned lockv ing-arm, while'the body portion of theleverplate forms a shoulder 101 with'said rearwardly-projecting finger.

Pivotally supported within., the casing and at substantially rightangles to the said lever- 7 O plate 8 is a locking-lever 10, having acoinreceiving-arm 11 extending in proximity to kthe ybefore-mentionedraceway 6, so thatsaid arm canbe engaged by a deposited coin, said lever10 also having a locking-arm 12 and 75 a stop-arm 14. The said coin-receiving rarm 1l is upon one side of said pivotal point of saidlever 10, and the said locking-arm 12 and stop-arm 14 are upon theothersideof said pivotal point. Said arm 12 normally rests 8o upon theupper surfaceof the before-men-` tioned'supporting-iinger 100 upon theleverplate 8,' said locking-arm lyingV close to-and in rear of thebefore-mentioned shoulder 101. Therefore when this locking-arm is in itsnor- 8 5 mal position just indicated -the lever-plate 8, with its arm 9,is locked against movement, and the receiver suspension-hook2 isconsequently locked against movement. An arresting-finger 102v projectsfrom said lever- 9o plate 8, and when the parts are in the normalpositions just described said arresting-finger lies intermediate thelocking-arm 12 and the stop-arm 14 and in the path of movement of saidstop-arm 14. The parts being in their locked and locking positions aboveindicated,

when a coin is deposited into the raceway 6 it engages thecoin-receivingarm 11 andv rocks the lever 10 until the stop-arm 14engages the arresting-finger 102. This movement of the locking-lever 10is not sufficient to disengage the coin-receiving arm 11 from the coinand to thus permit the coin to proceed down the raceway 6, but thearresting of the lockinglever 10, by reason of the engagement of thestop-arm 14 with the arresting-finger 102, causes the coin-receiving arm11 to remain in the path of the coin and to thus continue to support thecoin, the movement of the locking-lever before being arrested havingbeen suiiicient to carry the locking-arm 12 out of locking position withrelation to the leverplate 8. rlhe coin tlms serves to hold thelocking-lever in unlockingI position until the lever-plate 8 rocks intoposition to unlock the receiver suspension-hook 2, such locking of thelever-plate 8 and its arm 9 occurring when the receiver 3 is removedfrom the suspension-hook and the spring commonly acting upon said hookforces the same into raised position, as is well known in telephoneconstruction. As soon as the lever-plate 8 is rocked by the receiversuspension-hook the arresting-finger 102 moves baekwardly out of thepath of movement of the stop-arm 14, and the weight of the coin, whichhas up to this time been resting upon the coin-receiving arm 11, servesto further rock the locking-lever 10 to throw the coin-receiving arm 11out of the path of movement of the coin to permit said coin to proceedfarther down the raceway 6. As soon as the coin passes the arm 11 thelocking-arm 12 falls (being upon the heavier side of the lever 10) andcomes to rest in unlocking position upon the upper surface 103 of thelever-plate 8. When the receiver 3 is replaced upon the hook 2, saidhook descends in the customary manner, and the forwardly-extendingportion of the leverplate 8 and its arm 9 being the heavier portion saidlever-plate rocks forwardly to reassume its locking position, the uppersurface 103 of the lever-plate being thus carried from under thelocking-arm 12 of the locking-lever 10 and said locking-arm falling intoits locking position, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, when the receiversuspension-hook reaches its normal position,supporting the receiver.

Preferably mechanism is provided with what I shall term a locking-outdevice for the purpose of preventing` the main locking member 9 fromreturning to locking and locked position until the receiver (having beenremoved) has been replaced upon the suspension-hook. This locking-outdevice comprises an arresting-plate 19, pivoted within the casing andhaving an arresting portion 22, adapted to be brought beneath a suitableportion of l the lever-plate 8, (such as the downwardly-extending tinger104,) when said arresting-plate i is rocked, as hereinafter described.An arm 20, extending from said arresting-plate, porjcets across thereceiver suspension-lmetY 2 beneath the same, and a spring 15, actinglupon the arresting-plate 19, tends to rook said plate into position tothrow its arresting portion 22 beneath the before-mentioned lmger10-1upon the lever-plate 8. Then the parts are in normal position, thereceiver engages the said arm 20 and holds the same against the force ofthe spring 15 in such position that the arresting portion 22 of thearresting-plate 19 is in rear of the said linger 104, as illustrated inFig. 4. As the receiver is removed from the suspension-hook and saidsuspensionhook rises, thus rocking the lever-plate 8, as has beenheretofore described, the spring 15 rocks the arresting-plate 19 tothrow the arresting portion 22 into arresting position beneath the saidlinger 104, the arm 20 being thrown outwardly toward the end of thereceiver suspension-hook in a manner which will be apparent. Thus whilethe receiver is off the suspension-hook this suspension-hook can bedepressed in order to attract centrals attention, (as is wellunderstood,) but the leverplate 8 and its arm 9 cannot rock suiiicientlyto carry the supperting-surface 103 from uuder the locking-arm 12, andthereby permit said locking-arm to drop into locking position,

.for the downward movement of the leverplate 8 is limited by reason ofthe engagement of the finger 104 upon the arrestingplate 22. Themhowever, the receiver is replaced upon the hook, said receiver engagesthe said arm 20 and throws the arrestingplate 19 out of arrestingposition, so that when the receiver suspension-hook falls, with thereceiver upon it, (which in the usual use ol a telephone occurs onlyafter the conversation has been completerh) the parts will be rcturnedto their locked and locking positions.

Pivoted in proximity to the coin-chute or raceway 6 is a coin-returninglever 53, having at its lower end an inclined coin-support 56, whichlies below said coin-chute in position to supporta coin deposited insaid chute. r1`he delivery-raceway 51, leading` to the exposed coin-cup52 upon the outside ol the easing, lies below this coin-support 5G, sothat upon rocking of the leve 53 to carry it from beneath a coinsupported thereon such supported coin falls into the deliverychute androlls into the cup 52, from which it can be taken by the depositor. Anelectromagnet 59 cooperates with an armature 58, carried by saidcoin-returning lever 53, so that upon energization of said magnet thesaid armature is attracted and the said lever is rocked to carry thecoin-support (i from beneath the coin and to permit the coin to bedischarged into the delivery-raeeway, as previously described. Pivotedupon the coin-receiving arm 11 of the locking-lever 10 is acom-arresting pm 105, which extends mto the lOO ceptacle 106.

coinraceway 6, as indicated in Figs. and 2, said pin being of suchlengththat whenV the locking-lever is in its normal locking position asuiiicient space is left between the lower end of the pin and thecoin-support 56 to permit the passage of a coin, while when thelocking-lever 10 is in unlocking position, with its locking-arm12resting upon the upper sur,- face 103 of the lever-plate 8, said pin isso close to the said supporting-plate 56 that a coin cannot pass betweenthe said plate and the end of the pin, and thus be discharged from thecoin-raceway into the till or coin-re- Therefore after a deposited coinhas left the coin-receiving arm 11 and has thus thrown the locking-leverinto unlocking position, said lever having come to rest in unlockingposition, vwith its lockingarm 12 resting upon the surface 1.03 of theleverplate 8, the coin falls upon the coin-support 56 and'is preventedby the pin 105 from leaving the raceway. 1f" it be desired to return thecoin to the depositor, it is only necessary for central to energize themagnet 59, whereupon the coin-returning lever 53 is locked, as has beenpreviously described, and the coin drops into the delivery-raceway 51.If, however, the desired connection has been secured and the coin isnot4 to be returned to positor the particular coin which hev hasdeposited and that the coin last deposited is discharged into thecoin-receptacle as soon as the telephone 1s out of use, so that a coinis supported upon the support 56 only between the ltime at which thecoin is deposited and the time at which the depositor completes the useof the telephone.

The present structure also includes mechanism for enabling' central torelease the lock--` ing mechanism without the use of a deposited coin,so that when a subscriber is called the mechanism Will be releasedandthe depositor can use the telephone. To this end a releasing-lever 18 issuitably pivoted in the casing,

as upon the bracket 107, one end of this re leasing-lever being inconnection with the coinreturning lever 53,'as by passing through anlopening in a lug or linger 108 upon said coinreturning lever. The upperend of the said releasing-lever has an inclined surface 109,

the arm 11 of the locking-lever 10 lying in the path of movement of saidinclined surface 109 of said releasing-lever when said lever is rockedin one direction, and behind said inclined surface the finger 110 ofsaid releasing-lever is provided with a notch 111,

It will be noted that this mechanism provides for returning to the de-'adapted to receive the saidcoin-receiving arm 11 of the locking-lever.

, When the parts are in normal position, the releasing-lever lies out ofthe path of movement of the locking-lever, as indicated by Figs. 2 and3. Should central .desire torelease the telephone, however, as whencalling y a subscriber, the magnetV 59 is energized as from returning to`normal position until the locking lever has been 'again suiiicientlyrocked to carry its coin-receiving arrn out of the said notch. 'of thelocking-lever rests in the said notch of locking-lever lies above theshoulder 101 of the lever-plate 8 and is in line with the inclinedsurface 112 at the rear face of said lever-plate. The locking mechanismis vthus held unlocked, and as soon as the receiver is removed from thesuspension-hookthe suspension -hook rises inthe usual manner and raisesthe main `locking-arm 9,. thusrocking the lever-plate 8. In this rockingof the lever-plate the cam-surface 112 engagesthe locking-arm 12 of thelocking-lever and elevates said locking-arm, thus depressing thecoin-receiving arm 11 sufficiently to carrythe same out of the notch 111of the releasing-le ver, whereuponthe releasinglever and thecoin-returning lever fall into their normal positions. The locking-arm12 then falls upon the surface 103 of the lever-plate 8, and the partsare in the same positions in which they.

would be had a coin been deposited andthe receiver 3 removed from thesuspension-hook.

I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of `f Letters Patent, isl 1. In a coin-controlled lockingmechanism,

the combination witha movable locking de-4 When the coin-receiving armthe releasing-lever, the locking-arm 12 of said IOU IIO

Vice having a locking-arm and a stop'arm,'of

afmovable main locking element, and anv ar-A resting-finger upon saidmain locking element,vv j said arresting-finger lying intermediate'saidlocking-armand said stop-armv coperating with the latter, `the movementof'said main locking vmember serving to carry said'arresting-finger intoand out of the path of movement of said stop-arm; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a movable main lockingmember, a pivoted arresting-plate lying in a plane at substantiallyright angles to the plane of said main locking member, an arrestingportion upon said plate adapted to move into and out of the path ofmovement of a cooperating part upon said main locking member, meanstending to force said arresting-plate into arresting' position, and anarm'upon said arresting-plate and adapted to be engaged by atelephone-receiver; substantially as described.

3. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a coin-receiving raceway, amain locking member, a movable locking element cooperating therewith andhaving a coin-receiving arm, a coin-arresting device for preventing acoin from leaving said raceway after it has left said coin-receiving'arm, means for returning' such arrested coin to the depositor, and meanswhereby said coin-arresting device is operated upon operation of saidlocking member; substantially as described.

4. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a main locking member, alocking element cooperating therewith and having' a coin-receiving arm,acoin-raceway, a coin-support, means for returning a coin from saidsupport to the depositor, a coin-arresting device for arresting a coinupon said support, means whereby said arresting device is incoin-arresting position when said movable locking member is inunlocking' position, and means whereby said coin-arresting device is outof arresting position when said locking member is in lockingposition;substantially as described.

5. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a main locking member, amovable locking element cooperating therewith, a support for a depositedcoin, a coin-arresting device connected'to and movable with said lockingelement, and serving to hold the coin upon said coin-support, and meansfor returning a coin upon said support to the depositor; substantiallyas described.

6. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a main locking member, amovable locking element cooperating therewith, a coin-receiving raceway,a coin-delivery raceway` a movable coin-support intermediate saidraceways and obstructing passage from said receivingraceway to saiddelivery-raceway, there being a discharge from said support into a till,and

a coin-arresting device connected to and movable with said lockingelement and adapted to obstruct said discharge from said coin-support;substantially as described.

7. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a main locking member, acoin-support, means for returning a coin from said support to thedepositor, a coin-arresting device for arresting a coin upon saidsupport, and means whereby when said main locking member is in lockingposition said arresting device is out of arresting position, while whensaid main locking member is in unlocking position said arresting deviceis in arresting position; substantially as described.

8. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, the combination with a mainlocking member, of a movable locking' element cooperating therewith andhaving a locking-arm which rests upon said main locking member when thelatter is in unlocking position, whereby said locking element isprevented from returning to locking position while said main lockingmember is in unlocking position, a coin-support, means for returning acoin from said support to the depositor, and a coin-arresting deviceadapted to hold a coin upon said support and connected to and movablewith said locking element; substantially as described.

- 9. In a coin-controlled locking mechanism, a movable locking element,a releasing mechanism therefor, a coin-returning mechanism, and a singleoperating member controlling both said releasing' mechanism and saidcoinreturning mechanism; substantially as described.

lO. Inacoin-controlledlockingmechanism, a movable locking element, amovable coinreturning device, a releasing member for said lockingelement, and connection between said releasing member and saidcoin-returning device; substantially as described.

ll. Ina coin-controlledlockingmechanism, a movable locking element, acoin-returning lever, and a releasing-lever cooperating with saidlocking element and operatively connected to said coin-returning lever;substantially as described.

In testimony whereol I hereunto aliix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 5th day of April, 1904.

RUDOLPH IV. GUEB.

Iitnessesz GALES I). Moons, GEORGE BAKnwELL.

IOO

